Beauty Brought to Hell
by Olivia Conroy
Summary: Then it was over. I was just a shell. A shell of a long ago beauty brought to hell.


There are so many times looking back now that I realize the signs are all there. If only I had noticed them earlier, maybe I could have saved her. I remember hearing from other Slytherins in her year that she always sat next to the mudblood. My sister was a Black, why would she willingly sit there. It was probably assigned seats. That day they were in the library together, they had a project to work on. When I confronted them she shot him a dirty look and left the area like a Black woman should. That entire desk drawer full secret letters during summer that Narcissa and I could not read. Of course I tried to read them at night but no spell would open the lock. I should have seen the signs. My sister, Andromeda Jacquilene Black, was in love with a mudblood.

She and Sirius were always different from the rest of us. Uncle Alphard said that you could tell even when they were just babies. They were quiet and observant while the rest of us screamed and screamed. That was something Andromeda boasted about, being an easier baby. When we took trips to Diagon Ally she always longed to explore muggle London. We told her time and time again that muggles were bad, yet she longed to be near them. One day while we were there with Mother, Father and Aunt Walburga, Sirius and Andromeda got away. Sirius told her he could take her there. By that time we were old enough to be on our own, so they got back before anyone noticed. I'm the only one that knows about their excursion. I followed them through the Leaky Cauldron and watched them walk through the front door. I figured this was just some thing they were going through. She'll grow out of it. She never did.

She married that mudblood Ted Tonks. Father disowned her. Good thing too, what shame she brought to the family. She even had the gall to invite us to the wedding. Narcissa went, trying to make sure this was real. I stayed hidden in the back pew. She looked lovely, the blood traitor. It was real; the middle Black sister was marrying a mudblood, someone below her. I saw Sirius sitting there with the Potter guy and some other people from Hogwarts. I left before the end kiss. I resolved to never think about her again. That night I went home and for the first time told Rodolphus that I loved him. He seemed shocked and ushered me to bed. Never did he say that he loved me as well. At that moment I envied my blood traitor sister. I wanted her to die at that time.

A year later a letter came from Narcissa. Andromeda had a baby. Her name is Nymphadora. Such a regal, pureblooded name for a baby not in the pureblood world. I forgot about the child after that moment, not wanting to be reminded of my childless marriage.

Voldemort killed Regulus that year. Regulus saw that this was going too far. He saw that Voldemort was a crackpot. He destroyed one of the horcruxes. I remember how disappointed I was. Looking back I couldn't be prouder. He stood up for something. He risked his life for all of us. My sweet Regulus, if only I had listened that day. I saw what you were seeing, I just refused to admit it.

Seven years later Narcissa had her beautiful son, Draco. Narcissa told me that she was going to raise him unlike mother raised us. She was going to use love. She didn't want him drabbling in the dark arts though. It was too dangerous. I laughed in her face. I told her we have to protect our race. She looked at me and said "Of course Bella, but Bella. This is my baby. I love him. He could be killed. What if he fights and gets killed. What if he kills? It could be Andromeda. It could be Andy." And indeed, it could be our Andromeda. I was arrested five months later.

I broke out of Azkaban. Being put there for torturing Alice and Frank Longbottom. Who cares? They're a bunch of blood traitors. That year was used to plan getting that Potter brat to the Department of Mysteries. I saw Andromeda's child for the first time. She's a rather odd looking child. Her hair being bubblegum pink. Other than that though she looked just like her mother, beautiful in everyway. That was the day I killed Sirius. I hadn't meant to. I meant to scare him up a bit, just like the old days, when everything was normal. No pretending your sister doesn't exist. You're beautiful sister with a marriage that you could only dream of. Watching Sirius fall through the veil I had the sudden urge to pull him back. The Dark Lord would not like that though. I watched him fall through and laughed. I couldn't do anything but laugh. A laugh to hide the pain, the pain of watching your family fall apart.

I was recaptured after Voldemort's defeat. I was empty. The blood traitors and mudblood lovers had won. My Master was defeated by a seventeen year old. Here I am sitting in Azkaban on the last day of my conscious life. Rodolphus was given the kiss yesterday. My husband is gone. I never found out if he loved me. I am allowed to write three letters. One to Narcissa telling her I love her and that I never meant for this to happen. To keep out of trouble and make sure Draco and Lucius do the same too. I know it's too late for those two. Lucius has been too far gone. And Draco just wants to please his father. One to Draco asking him to please find a way out of this. He's still young and can get away. I don't want him wasting his life away like I did. And one to my Dear Andromeda.

_Andromeda,_

_I'm writing this on the last day of my life. I wanted to apologize for everything I've done. I killed Sirius. Innocent Sirius. I saw your girl. She's beautiful Andromeda. She looks just like you. Andromeda, I'm happy for you. Please don't hate me. I'm not going to say it's not what I wanted. You brought shame to the family name but never to Narcissa and I. Never. Please try to talk to her. We miss you and I know she does. Draco could always use help._

_Keep your head up Andy._

_Bella._

I gave it to the guard and watched him walk away. Just then another walked up and unlocked the door. This is it. She led me by my elbows to an empty room. A dementor floated in. I watched as all of my memories of laughter and playing from my childhood floated away. I saw the mouth and then it was over, I was just a shell. A shell of a long ago beauty brought to hell.


End file.
